Inside The Rockets

Rockets Predicted for Tough Losses Ahead

The Houston Rockets could be facing some bumps in the road.
Jeremy Brener|
Mar 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Mar 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are facing a crucial part of their season where their playoff placement will almost likely be determined.

This will show how ready they are to be considered as one of the NBA's top contenders.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes that the Rockets may look a little funny in the light in the month of March, predicting five clutch time losses for the team.

"Part of the reason it’s easy to project what’ll likely be a league-leading five-clutch losses in March is because we know the Houston Rockets will have more cracks at those defeats than most teams. Nobody has played in more close-and-late contests than they have this season," Hughes writes.

"Houston is actually 21-16 in the clutch, which makes this prediction especially bold.

"The Rockets have amassed that mark with smoke and mirrors (and some very opportunistic defense). The Washington Wizards are the only team in the league with a lower effective field-goal percentage in the clutch, an indictment of Houston’s lack of a reliable playmaker and a pretty strong condemnation of its three-point shooting. The forced turnovers and second-chance opportunities that have so far sustained the Rockets in close games won't last forever, and if those aspects don’t hold up, the team’s woeful late-game offense will come back to bite it."

The Rockets are no strangers to close games, so it's all about executing when the time is right now. They do it well on a micro scale, but now they need to bring that success on a macro scale as well.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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